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National Geographic Learning
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Unit 5

Symbol of
a City

The flag that captured Chicago's heart
Lead-in 01

What makes a city symbol truly beloved?

Most city flags are forgotten the moment you see them. But Chicago's is different — it shows up on tattoos, barbershop walls, and backpacks. What is it about this blue-and-red banner that makes people feel so strongly?

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Everywhere You Look

The flag appears on walls, bags, even skin

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Symbol of Pride

More meaningful than the national flag

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Simple but Bold

Good design makes a flag unforgettable

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Design Matters

A radio host explains the love for Chicago

Let's explore how a piece of fabric became the soul of an entire city.

Skimming 02

Quick Overview

Skim the article in 90 seconds, then check your answers.

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Seen Everywhere

Where does the article say you can find the Chicago flag?

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What the Flag Means

What do the stripes and stars on the flag represent?

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Roman Mars's View

Why does Roman Mars think people love Chicago?

Seen Everywhere: Street corners, skyscrapers, barbershops, backpacks — and even as tattoos on people's bodies.

What the Flag Means: The stripes represent the river and the lake; the stars represent important events in Chicago's history; the white areas represent three Chicago neighborhoods.

Roman Mars's View: He believes people love Chicago more because the flag is so cool — the great design amplifies their love for the city.
Paragraph 1

Everywhere You Look

From haircut chairs to human skin — this flag has conquered the city.

Reading 03

Contrast Opening

Many cities in the United States have flags, but few are as loved as Chicago's. It can be seen all over the city—from its street corners to its skyscrapers. "Today," says Whet Moser from Chicago magazine, "I went to get a haircut. When I sat down in the barber's chair, there was a Chicago flag on the box that the barber kept all his tools in. In the mirror, there was a Chicago flag on the wall behind me. When I left, a guy passed me who had a Chicago flag on his backpack." There is even a website called ChicagoFlagTattoos.com. It features interviews with and photos of people who love the flag so much that they want it permanently drawn on their bodies.
The sentence uses a concessive-contrast structure: "Many… but few…" The first clause acknowledges a general fact (many cities have flags), and "but" pivots to a stronger claim (Chicago's is uniquely loved). This creates an implicit comparison — the reader is immediately invited to ask: what makes Chicago's flag different? The structure also models the article's overall logic: common thing → exceptional example.
Reading 04

Spatial Scale

Many cities in the United States have flags, but few are as loved as Chicago's. It can be seen all over the city—from its street corners to its skyscrapers. "Today," says Whet Moser from Chicago magazine, "I went to get a haircut. When I sat down in the barber's chair, there was a Chicago flag on the box that the barber kept all his tools in. In the mirror, there was a Chicago flag on the wall behind me. When I left, a guy passed me who had a Chicago flag on his backpack." There is even a website called ChicagoFlagTattoos.com. It features interviews with and photos of people who love the flag so much that they want it permanently drawn on their bodies.
This is a merism — a figure of speech that expresses something in full by naming two contrasting parts (low/high, small/large). "Street corners" represents the everyday, ground-level, ordinary spaces; "skyscrapers" represents grand, towering, official spaces. Together they mean everywhere, at every scale. The em-dash introduces this contrast as a vivid expansion of "all over the city," giving the reader a mental image of Chicago's vertical urban landscape.
Reading 05

Anecdotal Evidence

Many cities in the United States have flags, but few are as loved as Chicago's. It can be seen all over the city—from its street corners to its skyscrapers. "Today," says Whet Moser from Chicago magazine, "I went to get a haircut. When I sat down in the barber's chair, there was a Chicago flag on the box that the barber kept all his tools in. In the mirror, there was a Chicago flag on the wall behind me. When I left, a guy passed me who had a Chicago flag on his backpack." There is even a website called ChicagoFlagTattoos.com. It features interviews with and photos of people who love the flag so much that they want it permanently drawn on their bodies.
The extended first-person anecdote makes an abstract claim ("seen all over") concrete and credible. Three separate flag sightings in one ordinary routine — at the barbershop — show the reader the ubiquity in a lived, relatable scene rather than through statistics. The repetition of "there was a Chicago flag" acts as a tricolon, building intensity with each sighting. Attributing it to a named source ("Whet Moser from Chicago magazine") adds journalistic authority.
Reading 06

Escalation: "Even"

Many cities in the United States have flags, but few are as loved as Chicago's. It can be seen all over the city—from its street corners to its skyscrapers. "Today," says Whet Moser from Chicago magazine, "I went to get a haircut. When I sat down in the barber's chair, there was a Chicago flag on the box that the barber kept all his tools in. In the mirror, there was a Chicago flag on the wall behind me. When I left, a guy passed me who had a Chicago flag on his backpack." There is even a website called ChicagoFlagTattoos.com. It features interviews with and photos of people who love the flag so much that they want it permanently drawn on their bodies.
"Even" is a scalar focus adverb — it signals that what follows exceeds what was expected, placing it at the top of an implied scale. After ordinary sightings (walls, bags), a dedicated tattoo website represents an extreme level of devotion. Naming the actual website "ChicagoFlagTattoos.com" turns a claim into a verifiable, specific fact — this is concrete evidence rather than hyperbole. It invites curious readers to verify it, adding credibility and surprise.
Reading 07

Permanent Devotion

Many cities in the United States have flags, but few are as loved as Chicago's. It can be seen all over the city—from its street corners to its skyscrapers. "Today," says Whet Moser from Chicago magazine, "I went to get a haircut. When I sat down in the barber's chair, there was a Chicago flag on the box that the barber kept all his tools in. In the mirror, there was a Chicago flag on the wall behind me. When I left, a guy passed me who had a Chicago flag on his backpack." There is even a website called ChicagoFlagTattoos.com. It features interviews with and photos of people who love the flag so much that they want it permanently drawn on their bodies.
The "so… that" structure is a result clause of degree: the intensity of the love (so much) produces a measurable result (they want it on their bodies). It logically caps the paragraph's escalation from casual sightings → tattoo website → actual tattoos. The word "permanently" is the emotional climax: a tattoo cannot be removed, unlike a bag or wall decoration. It signals the deepest possible commitment — the flag is not just part of the city; it's part of the person.
Paragraph 2

A Symbol of Civic Pride

When a flag replaces the national banner at a hero's funeral, it has become something more than fabric.

Reading 08

Topic Sentence

The flag is also a distinct symbol of Chicago pride. As flag expert Ted Kaye says, "When a police officer or a firefighter dies in Chicago, often it's not the flag of the United States on his casket. It can be the flag of the city of Chicago." "That's how deeply the flag has gotten into the civic imagery of Chicago."
"Also" is an additive discourse connector — it signals that a new quality is being added to what was already established. Paragraph 1 described the flag's visual prevalence; "also" introduces a second, deeper dimension: emotional and civic significance. The word "distinct" further strengthens the claim by implying this pride is uniquely characteristic of Chicago, not a generic civic feeling. Together, they prepare the reader for the stronger evidence that follows in S2 and S3.
Reading 09

Expert Testimony

The flag is also a distinct symbol of Chicago pride. As flag expert Ted Kaye says, "When a police officer or a firefighter dies in Chicago, often it's not the flag of the United States on his casket. It can be the flag of the city of Chicago." "That's how deeply the flag has gotten into the civic imagery of Chicago."
The structure "it's not… it can be" is a substitution contrast — the national flag (the expected, universal symbol) is displaced by the city flag. In a funeral context, a casket flag carries the deepest symbolic weight in American culture — it represents sacrifice and identity. Replacing the national flag with a city flag means the local identity is felt more deeply than national identity. The modal "can be" (rather than "is") preserves accuracy while implying this is common enough to be notable.
Reading 10

How-Clause Intensity

The flag is also a distinct symbol of Chicago pride. As flag expert Ted Kaye says, "When a police officer or a firefighter dies in Chicago, often it's not the flag of the United States on his casket. It can be the flag of the city of Chicago." "That's how deeply the flag has gotten into the civic imagery of Chicago."
"That's how deeply" is a degree-of-manner construction — "how deeply" refers back to the evidence just given (the funeral casket example) as the measure of the depth. It acts as a rhetorical landing phrase: after showing the evidence, the speaker explicitly tells us what it proves. Metaphorically, "deeply" uses a spatial metaphor — depth implies something embedded or ingrained, not surface-level. "Gotten into the civic imagery" further anthropomorphizes the flag as a living presence that has penetrated Chicago's identity.
Paragraph 3

Good Design, Clear Meaning

The secret to the flag's success: simplicity, symbolism, and striking visual impact.

Reading 11

Design Principles

Like any good flag, the Chicago flag's design is simple and its symbolism is clear. The white areas represent three Chicago neighborhoods. The stripes represent the river and the lake. The stars represent important events in Chicago's history. Its simple but bold design is rated highly by flag experts and is probably also the reason it has become so popular.
The phrase "like any good flag" establishes a general principle before applying it specifically to Chicago. It implies that simplicity and clear symbolism are universal qualities of great flag design, not unique to Chicago. This sets up a genre standard — the reader understands Chicago's flag succeeds because it follows design principles that apply to all good flags. It also subtly suggests the flag's popularity is deserved, not accidental or just sentimental.
Reading 12

Symbolic Elements

Like any good flag, the Chicago flag's design is simple and its symbolism is clear. The white areas represent three Chicago neighborhoods. The stripes represent the river and the lake. The stars represent important events in Chicago's history. Its simple but bold design is rated highly by flag experts and is probably also the reason it has become so popular.
The three sentences form a tricolon with strict parallelism: [Element] + represent + [meaning]. Each follows the same subject-verb-object pattern. This structure has two rhetorical effects: (1) it demonstrates the claim from S1 ("symbolism is clear") — each part of the flag has an exact, clear meaning; (2) it creates a cataloguing rhythm that feels thorough and authoritative. The repetition of "represent" emphasizes that meaning is intentional, not random — every element was designed to stand for something.
Reading 13

Design-Popularity Link

Like any good flag, the Chicago flag's design is simple and its symbolism is clear. The white areas represent three Chicago neighborhoods. The stripes represent the river and the lake. The stars represent important events in Chicago's history. Its simple but bold design is rated highly by flag experts and is probably also the reason it has become so popular.
"Simple but bold" is a concessive contrast that resolves an apparent paradox: simplicity might suggest weakness or plainness, but "bold" immediately corrects this — the design is forcefully impactful despite (or because of) its simplicity. This pairing captures the flag's design philosophy perfectly. The word "probably" in the second clause is notable hedging — it acknowledges a causal connection while admitting it can't be proven definitively, modeling careful analytical writing.
Paragraph 4

The Flag Makes Chicago More Lovable

A design expert offers a bold reversal: it's not just that people love the city — the flag makes them love it more.

Reading 14

New Voice

Roman Mars moved to Chicago in 2005, and he too fell in love with the flag. Mars is the host and creator of 99% Invisible—a popular radio show about design and architecture. He's sure that the love for the flag is not just because people love Chicago. In Mars's own words, "I also think that people love Chicago more because the flag is so cool."
"He too" is an additive focus particle that links Mars to the Chicagoans described in Paragraphs 1–3. Even though he is a recent arrival (2005, not a native), he had the same response — reinforcing the idea that the flag's power transcends background. This is rhetorically important: if an outsider with a design expert's eye falls in love with the flag, it suggests the appeal is objective (rooted in design quality) not just subjective (local loyalty).
Reading 15

Appositive Credential

Roman Mars moved to Chicago in 2005, and he too fell in love with the flag. Mars is the host and creator of 99% Invisible—a popular radio show about design and architecture. He's sure that the love for the flag is not just because people love Chicago. In Mars's own words, "I also think that people love Chicago more because the flag is so cool."
The appositive "a popular radio show about design and architecture" establishes Mars's ethos — his credibility as a design expert. His opinion on why the flag works carries more weight than a casual observer's because he has spent his career analyzing design. The em-dash presents this credential efficiently without interrupting the flow. Crucially, "design and architecture" are the exact fields relevant to flag design, making his authority specifically applicable, not merely general fame.
Reading 16

"Not Just" Structure

Roman Mars moved to Chicago in 2005, and he too fell in love with the flag. Mars is the host and creator of 99% Invisible—a popular radio show about design and architecture. He's sure that the love for the flag is not just because people love Chicago. In Mars's own words, "I also think that people love Chicago more because the flag is so cool."
"Not just" is a scalar focus particle that challenges and expands the expected explanation. The ordinary assumption is: people love the flag because they love Chicago. "Not just" says: that explanation is true but incomplete — there is something more. This functions as a pivot sentence that prepares the reader for a surprising reversal in S4. The phrase "he's sure" (not "he thinks" or "he believes") signals strong, confident assertion — signaling the final quote will be definitive.
Reading 17

The Big Reversal

Roman Mars moved to Chicago in 2005, and he too fell in love with the flag. Mars is the host and creator of 99% Invisible—a popular radio show about design and architecture. He's sure that the love for the flag is not just because people love Chicago. In Mars's own words, "I also think that people love Chicago more because the flag is so cool."
Mars reverses the standard causation direction. The expected logic is: Love of city → Pride in city's flag. Mars proposes the inverse: Great flag design → Deeper love for the city. "Also" (not "instead") is careful — he doesn't deny that love of Chicago drives love of the flag; he adds a feedback loop: the flag's quality reinforces and amplifies civic love. The comparative "more" is the key word — not just "love Chicago," but love it to a greater degree because of the flag's visual power.
Language 18

Contrast Structures: "but" / "not just"

Challenging expectations and adding nuance

adversative conjunction scalar focus not just… but also concessive contrast
A) Many cities have flags, but few are as loved as Chicago's.
B) The love is not just because people love Chicago — the design itself amplifies that love.
C) ❌ Many cities have flags. However, few are as loved.  [grammatically fine but loses the tight, punchy contrast]
D) RULE: Use but mid-sentence for tight contrasts. Use not just… but also to expand, not merely contradict.
"But" creates a within-sentence contrast — it corrects or limits the first clause. Writing "Many cities… but few…" in one sentence is more impactful than separating them, because the contrast is felt immediately. "Not just" works differently: it signals an expansion — the simple explanation is true but incomplete. Together, these structures let writers challenge assumptions, introduce complexity, and guide the reader's thinking — all without using long, complicated sentences.
Language 19

Degree Expressions: "so… that" / "how deeply"

Expressing extreme results and measures of intensity

result clause degree adverb so + adj + that how + adverb
A) People love the flag so much that they want it permanently drawn on their bodies.
B) That's how deeply the flag has gotten into the civic imagery of Chicago.
C) ❌ People love the flag very much and they get tattoos.  [cause and extreme result not linked]
D) RULE: So + adj/adv + that = degree triggers result. That's how + adv = pointing back to evidence as proof of degree.
"So… that" is a result clause of degree: the intensity of something (so much love) produces a result (tattoos). It's much stronger than "very much" because it shows a consequence. "That's how deeply" works in reverse: it points back at evidence you've already given and declares what it proves about degree. Think of it as a rhetorical summary: "Here is the evidence. Now I'm telling you what the evidence demonstrates about the level of intensity." Both structures are common in journalism and academic writing.
Language 20

Appositive Phrases with Em-Dash

Defining and qualifying nouns mid-sentence

appositive em-dash embedded definition noun phrase
A) Mars is the host of 99% Invisible —a popular radio show about design and architecture.
B) It can be seen all over the city —from its street corners to its skyscrapers.
C) ❌ Mars is the host of 99% Invisible. It is a popular radio show.  [two short sentences, choppy and loses flow]
D) RULE: Use an em-dash appositive to add a defining detail immediately after a noun without breaking the sentence's forward momentum.
An em-dash appositive attaches a noun phrase directly after another noun to rename, define, or expand it. The em-dash is more emphatic than a comma — it says "pay special attention to what follows." Compared to writing two separate sentences (Example C), the em-dash version keeps the prose flowing smoothly and signals that the detail is supplementary, not a separate main point. In journalistic and academic writing, em-dash appositives are used to introduce credentials, give examples, or clarify technical terms without derailing the main argument.
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Lesson Complete
Unit 5 · Symbol of a City

Ubiquitous Presence

Chicago's flag appears on walls, bags, and bodies — a visible sign of intense civic identity.

Deeper than Patriotism

When a city flag replaces the national banner on a casket, local identity runs deeper than national pride.

Simple + Bold

Great design principles — simplicity and clear symbolism — explain why this flag is rated so highly.

Design Amplifies Love

A well-designed flag doesn't just reflect love for a city — it makes people love the city even more.

I also think that people love Chicago more because the flag is so cool.